Blood Wars
by Ren22
Summary: After Oroku Saki's defeat, the blood feud continues as Shredder's Elite forces seek to avenge their master.
1. Warning

Blood Wars: Chapter one

**Warning**

"Something's not right." Michelangelo whispered as his brother tensed ahead of him, weary of the change in atmosphere. Donatello motioned him to stop, pulling his bo staff into a readied position. In two hours, the alley would be softened by the sunrise but, for now, ominous shadows lined its walls, ascending to the rooftops above. The darkness around them made it nearly impossible to see the threat, but years of intense ninjitsu training allowed them to sense danger in a heartbeat. Now was no exception. Michelangelo half-consciously followed Don's example as he removed a pair of nunchaku from his belt. Moments later, a swift buzz destroyed the silence. "Dodge!" Both brothers fell to the side as a wave of shuriken flew towards them. 

The shadows broke apart. Two figures emerged on either side of the turtles, katanas and kusari chains held firmly in their grips. Behind them, the dark mass dissipated, forming rows that blocked any feasible exit from the scene. As the figures became apparent, so did the direness of the situation. "Shit! Donnie, they're Elite!" 

"So I noticed…" Don estimated a count of fifteen or sixteen ninjas surrounding them, each wearing the distinct black and red dogi which marked them as a part of the Foot's highest rank. Had they been members of the clan's lower forces, the fight could hardly have been considered a challenge. As it stood, however, they found themselves facing Oroku Saki's closest and finest students who not only significantly outnumbered them, but also carried the fuel of anger caused by their master's demise. The battle was obviously mismatched, and both sides could see that it was not to the Turtles' advantage. 

It didn't take long for the fight to erupt into unmerciful combat. Mike easily deflected a roundhouse kick to his midsection, but the action made it harder to evade the strike that followed. He felt the tip of a blade brush across his left shoulder, just missing its initial target: his neck. Beside him, Donatello wasn't faring much better. His bo connected with an opponent's head as he spun to avoid the sting of a tanto slicing his plastron. "Mike, watch your back!" His brother turned just in time to meet the oncoming katana's blade with a blow from his nunchuk. A side kick to the chest was enough to send the attacker off balance, but as soon as he fell, another took his place. 

Although the turtles had managed to remain relatively close at the outbreak of the fight, the Elite's pervasive attacks made it necessary to separate in order to maintain control. The black-clad figures strategically positioned themselves between their rivals, obstructing Donatello's view of Mike's situation. A cry of pain a few yards away was enough to convince him that things were quickly spiraling downhill, but the constant stream of assailants made it impossible for Don to rush away from the onslaught and find his brother. No matter how many Foot he managed to take down, their numbers never seemed to diminish. As two attackers lunged forward, he managed a well-placed back kick, momentarily throwing off the enemy and clearing his line of vision. 

"Mikey!" A pang of anxiety hit him at full force as he noticed Michelangelo's broken figure on the ground beside a growing pool of blood. Despite the dread that filled him, Donatello's own position left him powerless to act. He found himself weakening steadily, and the opposing force around him had now doubled. With a desperate burst of energy, Donatello threw himself at the nearest Foot Elite, letting his bo crash into the ninja's jaw. But the little space he gained from the attack was easily resealed. As he raised his weapon for another strike, he felt the end of a chain wrap around the bo, tearing it from his grip. A spinning kick suddenly connected with his head, knocking him to his knees. Don braced himself as the little hope he had left slipped away. An involuntary groan of pain escaped his lips as he was thrown against the nearest building. He lay still against the wall, incapable of avoiding the final kick that sent him sinking into oblivion. 

Tanaka Junzo smiled in satisfaction as he stepped away from his unconscious adversary. The grin faded as another member drew a sword from its sheath, prepared to deliver a decapitating strike. "Enough! He is not the one we want." The harsh authority of his tone was enough to induce the man to promptly replace his weapon. "Leave them as they are; it isn't our concern whether these two live or die. But the Shredder will be avenged…with blood." He turned, fading back into the alley's remaining shadows. "Let this be a warning to their brother." 

A female figure watched from above as the band of ninjas disappeared into the darkness of the surrounding alleyways. When she was certain the grounds were clear, her gaze returned to the still creatures on the pavement below. They would not survive long in their present condition. She would have to work quickly and carefully if she wanted them off the streets by daybreak. 

On the horizon, the sun had begun to cast a tint of red against the sky. 

* * *

**Author's note: **

Wow…this is the first piece of fanfiction I've written in a long time. I hope it's not too easy to tell! I'd really appreciate any reviews, comments, or suggestions. Feel free to post them up on the site or e-mail me at reneeom@yahoo.com


	2. Reluctant Trust

**Author's note: **

Thanks to all of you for the feedback! Sorry it took so long to post this chapter, I had to go back and do some major editing. Hopefully the length will make up for that. ;) Enjoy. 

* * *

Blood Wars: Chapter Two 

**

Reluctant Trust

**

A silent emptiness surrounded the probing mind. Despite the long awaited demise of his nemesis, Splinter could not find the soothing calmness he would have expected through his meditation. The threat that had nearly disappeared on the Shredder's final day slowly but steadily found its way back into the recesses of the old rat's mind. Things had not worked out the way he had intended. Although his master had been avenged, Splinter could not feel wholly comforted. The sense of uncertainty and tension that had reigned throughout the lair in the weeks following Leonardo's decapitating strike disturbed him more than he cared to admit. 

He had not realized until now that this task had given each of his sons a purpose and identity that was left scrambled and confused with the accomplishment of their lifetime goal. The resurgence of the Foot clan in the last few weeks had given them a reason to escape their questions for the time being, but Splinter knew that neither he nor his students could avoid them forever. Old age was finally beginning to take its toll on the rat and he could only hope that the Turtles' bond would last through the turbulence of frustration without his guidance.

He subconsciously let his mind reach out to his sons. Leonardo and Raphael's presences were traced almost effortlessly due to their closeness. As he probed through the myriad of jumbled feelings, an unusual anxiety became apparent in both minds. Although he didn't yet know the cause of this unease, the same sensation washed over the aging master as he extended the link to his missing students and met only a vague, distant consciousness.

***********************************************

"They were supposed to meet us hours ago!"

"You think I don't know that Raph?" Leonardo put down the katana blade he had been polishing and turned to his brother with an irritated glare. "I'm every bit as worried as you are."

"Then why aren't we out there doing something about it?" Raphael paused his pacing to meet him with a defiant stare. Leonardo ignored it, knowing all too well that Raph was itching for a fight.

"Because it's daylight. It's dangerous."

Raph scoffed at the remark. "Says who, Leo? Splinter?" He didn't bother hiding his contempt for his brother's obedience. "You, of all people, afraid of the sun." It wasn't hard to tell that Leonardo was quickly beginning to lose his patience. He stood to face his brother, daring him to continue. Raph didn't step back. "We're twenty for crisakes! So what if someone sees us? It'd be just one more urban legend going 'round town."

"And what about the Foot?"

"Dammit, Leo! We can take care of ourselves!"

"Just like Mike and Don, right? Face it, Raphael! We both know something's wrong, but there's no use in going back out there without a plan." He began to leave the room, but Raph blocked the exit.

"I don't believe this!" Raphael's voice rose to a shout as his anger and frustration grew. "They could dying and you're saying _wait?_" His hands clenched into tight fists as he fought the urge to grab the sai in his belt when his brother continued.

"They could be dead for all we know." Leonardo met the challenge seriously, but shuddered inside as he contemplated his own words. He should have known better than to order a patrol while the Elite rampaged the city, leaving a bloodbath of smaller Foot factions in their path. Their forces had always posed a threat and this massacre only confirmed that they would stop at nothing to prove undying loyalty to their master, even beyond his grave. As much as he wanted to agree with Raphael, Leonardo knew that if the Elite had turned their sights on the Turtles, they would need the right conditions, not to mention a strategy, to stand any chance of getting their brothers back while staying in one piece. Going out without the camouflage of shadow would be too risky.

Raphael's impatience was visibly building by the second. "And you're gonna accept that?! You're just gonna let that happen?"

His brother shook his head, clearly aggravated. His tone, however, remained firm. "I'm only saying that we need a plan."

"No, Leo. Youneed a plan." Glaring daggers in Leo's direction, Raphael pushed past him towards the doorway. "I ain't you."

Leo didn't keep him from leaving, but tried one last approach to reason with his hot-tempered brother. "Remember last time you tried to take out the Elite alone?" Raphael stopped in his tracks. That had been the night they, no, Leo had killed the Shredder. If it hadn't been for Leonardo's perfect timing, he'd be dead by now. He closed his eyes, seeing the blade all over again as it flew towards him in slow motion. _If it hadn't been for Leo_…the thought made him cringe. The flashback faded at the sound of Leonardo's voice. "They're okay, Raph. All I'm asking you is to wait a few more hours till nightfall."

It took a while for him to reply, but Leo was relieved Raph didn't rush out. "How can you be so sure?"

It was Leo's turn to pause, hating the fact that he had no hard evidence, only his gut reaction. "I just feel it, Raph…I'm not giving up on them and you shouldn't either." He could only hope his instincts were right about this. Raphael didn't speak, but his answer was clear as he turned and stormed, instead, in the direction of the dojo.

Leonardo sighed, heading towards Splinter's chamber.

***********************************************

Naomi gazed at the two latent creatures in her living room. Although she had seen them before on numerous occasions, they'd rarely been as close as they were now. Her eyes scanned the mutants' muscular figures, tracing the many scars that ran across their bodies. The wounds they had suffered today hadn't been the first; her former clan had made sure of it.

But things had changed since then. Naomi wondered how she had ever been blinded enough to call these amazing creatures her enemies as she drew her fingers along the edge of one of the turtle's shells. His nunchucks hadn't been enough to keep him from taking the brunt of the attack. The thick gauze she had secured over his shoulder and upper torso was stained red from a deep gash. Even though tight stitches had managed to stop most of the blood flow, she found it impossible to block the seepage where the blade had just broken through the top of his plastron. It was pure luck that the cut had missed his vital arteries.

The second turtle hadn't lost much blood, but the blows to his head had been severe. He had stirred slightly as she'd finished cleaning his wounds, giving her hope that he hadn't suffered a concussion. Naomi couldn't help but feel guilty as she injected them each with a slight dose of anesthetics, but she knew it would be better for both parties if they didn't wake up in unfamiliar surroundings.

She glanced up at the clock: 5:00 P.M. That gave her approximately two hours before sunset; just enough time to get a bite to eat and change back out of her sweats. Grabbing the turtles' bloodied gear, Naomi headed to the bathroom in an attempt to remove the stains. Satisfied, she rinsed the blood from her hands and moved to the adjacent bedroom to pull off her clothes. She had learned enough about the turtles to know the two others would be back on the streets as soon as darkness set in, and she'd be ready to meet them.

***********************************************

Raphael stayed close to the alley's outer wall as he cautiously rounded a corner. There was no sign of any presence save for Leo's, who followed closely behind. He heaved a sigh, frustrated but not yet discouraged by their seemingly futile search. "Maybe Mikey got bored and went further into town. You know how he always drags us into that Park."

Leonardo smirked in response, "It's a possibility." But then again, Mike and Don could've been anywhere. Although they'd gone over the majority of their usual routes, nothing had turned up. They hadn't even encountered a single mugging, which was unusual considering the heat. Ahead of him, Raphael stopped suddenly, bending down to take a closer look at something on the ground.

"Leo, take a look at this." He held up a shiny object that Leonardo recognized instantly. Not many people carried shuriken around the city, and it could only mean one thing. "The Foot were here."

"They didn't do a very good job of hiding it, either." He pointed to a dark patch on the pavement. "That's gotta be blood…"

As they looked around, both brothers suspected this hadn't been one of the usual inner-clan fights. "But where're the bodies? " The Foot clan had never been known to clean up their mess. A tight knot formed in the pit of Leo's stomach.

They'd finally found what they'd been looking for, but the dead-end didn't improve Raph's mood. "If anything happened to them, I swear I'm gonna fucking tear the whole clan apart!" Leo gave him a fierce glance at the outburst. The last thing they wanted was to attract attention.

"I know where they are."

Too late. The voice had come out of nowhere, startling both of them by its abruptness and implication. They braced themselves as they turned towards it, weapons in hand. Raphael watched as a woman stepped out of the shadows where they had recently entered the alley. Somehow, she'd managed to follow them unnoticed. She wore a tight black hooded dress that came down just below mid-thigh, a high slit on either side to allow movement. A sheathed sword hung at her side, but she made no move to draw it. Raph didn't question the fact that that she was ninja, and he prepared himself to lash out at any second.

Leonardo quickly stepped in. "Who are you and how do you know about our brothers?" It was impossible to see her face under the shadow of the hood. The unexpected entrance revealed obvious skill, but that didn't necessarily mean she was a threat. Her uniform had no resemblance the Foot's traditional dogi, nor did it bear their symbol, which made Leo curious about her involvement.

Naomi appeared calm as she studied the surprised turtles, yet the tension that built around them made her uneasy. "My name is Naomi. The rest is none of your concern." She addressed the one who had spoken, recognizing him by his choice of weapon. Leonardo. Her master had hated the name just as her brother despised it now.

She paused, her gaze shifting to the other mutant as she spoke. "If I'd come here to fight you, I wouldn't bother talking." He gripped his sai tightly, apprehensive of the situation. It would be difficult to gain his trust. "Your brothers are alive, but their injuries were serious. It will take time for them to recover."

"Where are they?" Raphael growled without relaxing his stance.

Leonardo had also locked his eyes on the intruder, awaiting her answer. "Put up your weapons and I'll take you there." She must have known it would hardly be safer with their weapons less than a second's reach away, but Leonardo accepted the formality, not yet sure whether Naomi could be believed. At the moment, he didn't have much of a choice. She was their only lead.

Leo watched as Raphael reluctantly did the same. "You better hope you're telling the truth, Lady."

Naomi didn't respond, only picked up her pace as she led the way through the maze of New York's streets.


End file.
